The first step to getting part or even all of your trip funded is to decide why you want to participate in this program and how it will benefit you. Do you love to travel? Do you want to work with wildlife? Are you looking for a unique experience to add to your resume? Do you want to help animals in disadvantaged communities? Friends, family, and businesses that you request sponsorship from will want to know why they should fund you and where their money is going.
Where Does the Money Go?
GVE is an independent organization that does not receive outside funding. Our volunteers are a major source of funding for the programs they volunteer with. Funds are used to attract bright, enthusiastic applicants with an interest in animal welfare, to provide them with a unique and unforgettable experience, and to provide veterinary care to disadvantaged communities. This is an approximation of our expenditures:
Administrative Expenses (25%):
- Pre-Departure Support
- Licensing & Registration
- Website & Social Media Maintenance
- Marketing & Partner Relations
- APVMA and SAVMA sponsorships for future veterinarians
- Discounts & Special Deals
- Bank Charges & Conversion Fees
Program Expenses (75%):
- Food & accommodation
- Project-related transportation
- Permits & entry fees
- Basic first-aid supplies
- Rent & salaries
- Clinic support (supplies, medication, vaccines, etc.)
Student Ambassadors
If you loved your volunteer experience, join us as a GVE student ambassador! Student ambassadors get PAID for helping other students find our programs- choose CASH ($25 USD per week, e.g. 4-week booking = $100 USD) or a DISCOUNT (25% off of a future session) for each new sign-up. As a bonus, all new bookings that sign-up through a student ambassador also receive a discount! For more information, please email trina@safari4uvet.com.
Discounts
Watch this space for special deals and discounts!
Group Discounts:
*Prices are subject to availability and cannot be combined with other offers.
- $50 pp per week for 4-8 students
- $75 pp per week for 9-13 students
- $100 pp per week for 14-18 students
Crowd Funding
We’ve teamed up with FundMyTravel to help our volunteers fund their volunteer experience! Click here to access their huge suite of fundraising information.
FundMyTravel has a team of dedicated staff that will help you reach your fundraising goals. They can provide tips and insights on the best ways to spread the word and offer sharing tools to get your campaign greater exposure through social media and email. Click the button below to learn more and get started!
Company Scholarship
Many companies are willing to sponsor volunteers, but they usually want something in return (nothing is free!). The best thing that you can offer them is free advertising, especially if the company is related to travel, animals, wildlife, conservation, etc.
Consider including them on your fundraising website and email blasts. If you’re traveling with a group, you can offer to make t-shirts with their logo and thank them in your social media posts. When constructing a sponsorship letter, make sure you cover the following points:
- Make your statement personal and address it to the correct person. Find this out by calling the company before posting your letter and asking whom to contact. ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ is likely to be pushed to the bottom of the pile.
- Give some concise background information including who you are, what the program offers, how the funds are used, and what you hope to gain. There is no need for pages and pages of description, as this will lose their interest. Remember, they may get hundreds of requests all the time.
- You may wish to follow up the letter with a phone call a week later. Prepare a brief statement of what you want to say prior to calling so you feel confident, as you will have approximately one minute to capture their interest.
Companies are not the only places you can obtain sponsorship- local councils, religious centers, community groups, Lion Clubs and youth/sports groups can also help!
Credits & Scholarships
Some universities offer credits or scholarships for internships and international volunteer programs- we recommend talking to an advisor at your university to see what options are available to you.